intransitive verb. To make soft or softer.

intransitive verb. To undermine or reduce the strength, morale, or resistance of.

intransitive verb. To make less harsh, strident, or critical.

intransitive verb. To become soft or softer.

To remove from (natural water) the hardness due to the presence of salts of calcium or magnesium in solution. In the case of temporary hardness, boiling the water or adding to it a carefully determined proportion of calcium hydroxid is used to produce softening; in the case of permanent hardness, sodium carbonate, not in too large excess, may be added. See hardness, 2.

To become soft or less hard.

To become less rude, harsh, severe, or cruel; grow less obstinate or obdurate; become more susceptible of humane feelings and tenderness; relent.

To pass by soft, imperceptible degrees; melt; blend.

To make soft, or more soft.

To mollify; make less fierce or intractable; make more susceptible of humane or fine feelings: as, to soften a hard heart; to soften savage natures.

To make tender; make effeminate; enervate: as, troops softened by luxury.

To make less harsh or severe, less rude, less offensive or violent; mitigate: as, to soften an expression.

To make less glaring; tone down; make less sharp or harsh: as, to soften the coloring of a picture; to soften the outline of something.

To make less strong or intense in sound; make less loud; make smooth to the ear: as, to soften the voice.

transitive verb. To make soft or more soft.

transitive verb. To render less hard; -- said of matter.

transitive verb. To mollify; to make less fierce or intractable.

transitive verb. To palliate; to represent as less enormous.

transitive verb. To compose; to mitigate; to assuage.

transitive verb. To make less harsh, less rude, less offensive, or less violent, or to render of an opposite quality.

transitive verb. To make less glaring; to tone down.

transitive verb. To make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate.

transitive verb. To make less harsh or grating, or of a quality the opposite.

intransitive verb. To become soft or softened, or less rude, harsh, severe, or obdurate.

verb. To make something soft or softer.

verb. To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).

verb. To make less harsh

verb. To become soft or softer

verb. make less severe or harsh

verb. become soft or softer

verb. lessen in force or effect

verb. make (images or sounds) soft or softer

verb. make soft or softer

verb. protect from impact

verb. give in, as to influence or pressure

mitigate  mollify  

alter  change  modify  

truckle  

often  

awaken  compunction  deceleration  deterioration  dilatation  

abate  absorb the shock  adjust to  affect  agree  

softened  softening  softens